


I'll Come Running

by 2012bookworm



Series: Drive All Night [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 15:43:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11443980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2012bookworm/pseuds/2012bookworm
Summary: So, it looks like Will is driving down to New York.  Again.





	I'll Come Running

**Author's Note:**

> See end notes for any warnings.

Will’s sprawled out on his bed, wondering if it’s acceptable to take evening naps, when his phone rings. It’s just after six, which means it’s almost definitely Nursey, who had taken less than a week to figure out that by six Will was usually finished with work, or at least done enough that he could do whatever else had to be done with a phone tucked between his ear and shoulder, which meant that at least a few times a week Nursey would call him and start some long, rambling conversation about anything from Chowder’s latest snapchat to the political ramifications of the latest U.N. decision. Will doesn’t even bother to check the caller ID before he answers.

Nursey skips the greeting and moves straight into conversation. “Dex! How are the little lobster fishies?” 

He sounds good, and Will feels his mouth curl up at the edges. It’s been just over two weeks since a different phone call sent him to New York to sit in a hospital waiting room, but Nursey seemed better every time they talked. And if Will was answering his phone a little faster and more regularly than before, just in case something else had happened, well, he was just being cautious. 

“Dex.” Nursey’s voice brought him back to the present. “You’re supposed to say something about them not being fish.”

Oh right, he should answer. “What’s the point? You’re not going to listen.”

“No, but that’s what makes it funny.” There’s a pause, Nursey waiting for Will to start some sort of argument. A whiny note enters his voice when Will just chooses not to respond instead. “Poindexter. Dex. Dexy. I’m pretty much confined to my bed, I’ve been alone in the house for two days, and I’m so bored. The least you can do is humor me.”

Will automatically rolls his eyes, before registering what Nursey just said. “Wait, what did you say?”

“I’m bored? So bored, you have no idea –“

Will cuts him off, aware his voice has gone cold but unsure how to fix that. “You’re by yourself?”

“Yes?” Nursey sounds confused. “And?”

Will forces his hand to unclench from around his phone. “Your mom left you alone while you were hurt.”

“Chill, Poindexter.” Nursey tells him, a note of defensiveness creeping in. “It’s fine, I’m fine, she checks in every night, and I told her to go.”

“That’s not…” Will stands up and starts pacing. “That’s not the point! Nursey, you told me yesterday you can’t leave the house!”

“Well I mean I could.” Nursey points out, sounding so reasonable Will wants to scream. “I’m just technically not supposed to.”

He puts the phone against his chest to muffle the string of swear words. “Nursey…”

“Listen, I’ve been thinking,” Nursey starts, an obvious subject change, “And I’ve decided that actually an ice rink would be a great place to hole up during a zombie apocalypse, ‘cause like built in slippery spot and lots of sharp things. I know you’re pretty partial to a traditional bunker, but…”

Will rubs a hand over his face. “Nursey, I’m going to have to call you back.”

“Wait, what?” Will hears before he hangs up and goes downstairs to find his mom. There is no way in hell he is leaving Nursey by himself when he can’t even leave the house, which means he’s driving back down to New York tonight. Damn it. 

And really, who leaves their kid alone after he’s been hit by a car, when he’s still barely mobile because of the broken ribs and abdominal stitching. It makes Will angry, and it makes him angrier that Nursey seems completely fine with it, as if this is normal. Maybe it is. The last time Nursey got sick, Will had to sic Bitty on him, because he wouldn’t take care of himself. Which does not give Will high hopes for how well he’s taking care of himself right now. 

He walks into the kitchen where his mom is making dinner. “Mom, is it ok if Nursey comes and stays with us for a while?”

“Your friend who just got hurt?” His mom looks over at him, assessing. “Sure, baby, but shouldn’t he be resting at home?”

“He’s... he’s all alone, Mom.” It takes her a moment to understand, but when she does, her eyes flash. He comes by his temper honestly. “I can’t just leave him there by himself.”

“Of course not.” She says firmly, and pulls a loaf of bread out of the breadbox. “So I’m guessing you’re making another late night drive to New York?”

“Yes?” He’s already got his keys in his pocket. 

“Good. Now grab the cheese from the fridge. You can leave as soon as I finish making you a sandwich.”

He smiles and does as she asks. “Thanks.”

He’s glad that she’s not trying to stop him, not that he thought she would. Over the years their house has been open to anyone who needs a place to stay, from David’s friend whose parents were divorcing to Gracie’s classmate whose father had an unexpected business trip.

“Drive safe.” She tells him, wrapping up the ham and cheese sandwich in a napkin. “And text me when you get there, even if it’s late.”

“Can do.” He gives her a hug and walks out to his car, dialing Nursey’s number as he goes, since he should probably tell him that he’s coming.

“Hey! So, ice rink, zombies, thoughts?” Nursey asks, starting right back in on their previous conversation.

Hearing Nursey’s cheerful voice, Will realizes he has no idea what to say, or how to say it. “Yeah, um, how do you feel about Maine?”

“During the zombie apocalypse?” Nursey offers. “There are a lot of guns there, so it probably wouldn’t be too bad, and maybe the cold would slow them down-“

Will sighs, trying again. “You coming to stay with me in Maine.”

“Um, normally, sounds fun, but I’m not really up to what I assume is a lot of ecotourism and lobster themed memorabilia right now.” Nursey says, a note of confusion in his voice.

“Lobster-themed… Where do you even get this stuff? Never mind.” Will starts his car, and backs out of the driveway. He takes a deep breath, decides that he needs to just say it. “Nursey, look, I’m not really comfortable with you all alone while you’re hurt, so I’m coming down to drag you up to Maine, ok?”

There’s silence from the other end of line. “But – that’s - but I’m fine! You don’t need to – I mean the stitches are out and everything!”

He knew this was going to be a hard sell, he knew it. Nursey’s weird about letting people take care of him. Thankfully, threats are pretty effective, and he thought of a good one while stomping down the stairs. “Your other option is I get Bitty to send Jack down.”

Which is his actual back-up plan, and an acceptable outcome. As long as someone’s there to make sure Nursey’s ok, that he doesn’t fall down and re-injure himself or something else stupid. Plus he knows Jack would send him updates.

“He’s an NHL hockey player, Dex!” Nursey sounds sort of panicked. “He doesn’t have time to come up to New York just to hang out with an old teammate!”

“It’s the offseason.” Will points out. “Yes he does.”

Will can almost taste the horrified silence radiating from the phone. He starts to feel bad. “Listen, Derek, if you really don’t want to come up here or don’t think you can manage the drive or something, I’m not going to make you. But I need to know that you’ve got someone there checking up on you. A friend, a neighbor, anyone. All right?”

He’s pretty sure there’s no one, but if there is, he’ll let this go. He’ll turn around and go back home and fret in silence like he’s been doing for the past few weeks. As long as Nursey’s not alone in that big echoey house that even Shitty’s over-exuberance couldn’t seem to fill. Though, to be fair, they generally only ended up at the house to eat and sleep, and Shitty was more subdued then, saving his wildest antics for Nursey, trying to cheer him up and distract him.

“Fine.” Nursey says after a moment, flippant, like it really doesn’t matter either way. “You can drag me to Maine.”

Will feels himself relax. “I’ll be there late tonight.” 

He hangs up before Nursey can hear his sigh of relief.

***

It’s late when he reaches New York, once again after midnight, and he’s really hoping this doesn’t become a pattern. He lets himself in using the hidden key Shitty showed him and after a moment of internal debate gives in to the urge to check on Nursey. He knows where his bedroom is, snuck in early one morning and just looked, taking in the mess of papers on the desk and the books filling the shelves and stacked haphazardly in piles on the floor, and the prints, mostly pen and ink drawings, hung on the walls. Now, he peeks in the door and sees Nursey asleep on the bed, flat on his back and breathing shallowly. It looks odd, and it takes him a moment to figure out why, until he realizes that it’s because he knows Nursey usually sleeps on his side or, when’s it’s been a particularly hard game, splayed out on his stomach. On his back is new, and Will decides it must be because of his ribs. 

He lets himself watch for a moment, before shaking his head and easing the door shut. He ends up collapsing on top of one of the guest beds, and manages a few hours sleep before his traitorous body wakes him up just past six. He tries to go back to sleep but eventually gives it up as a lost cause and goes downstairs to make coffee. He’s on his second cup, still tired but starting to contemplate breakfast when Nursey shuffles into the kitchen. He’s moving stiffly, the bruises look nasty, and there’s a raw looking scar visible on one forearm, but he’s walking without wincing at every step, which is better than the last time Will saw him.

“Morning.” He says, turning away and opening the fridge to avoid the urge to pull Nursey in to his arms and prove that he’s real. “You want scrambled or fried eggs?”

It takes Nursey a second to respond. “Um, fried? When did you get in last night? How did you get in?”

Will pulls out the eggs and butter. “Shitty showed me where you keep the hidden key. And it was late and I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“Oh, right. Forgot you guys stayed here.” Nursey sits down with a wince. Will opens the cabinet next to the stove and pulls out a pan. “Which explains why you’re weirdly familiar with my kitchen.”

Will shrugs, but he can feel his ears turning red. Visiting hours were only so long, and it’s always been better for him to have something to do with his hands. He adds the butter to the pan, waits for it to melt, and cracks three eggs. The silence isn’t uncomfortable, but the whole thing feels oddly domestic, and it makes it hard to really look at Nursey, much less come up with a conversational topic, which is something he sucks at anyway.

He pulls out a plate and fork for the eggs, slides them out of the pan without breaking the yolk, one of his proudest kitchen skills, and sets the plate down in front of Nursey, who immediately starts shoveling in eggs. Will half-wonders what he’s been eating for past few days. Probably just sandwiches or cereal, Nursey’s a terrible cook. “Do you have any meds you’re supposed to take with breakfast?” 

“Antibiotics, next to the toaster.” He mumbles through a half-full mouth.

Will gets them, and fills a glass of water as well. “You should probably drink the whole glass.

Nursey gives him an odd look, but shrugs and starts sipping at it as Will makes his own eggs. He finally breaks the quiet when Will sits down. “So, when did you want to leave for the great state of Maine?”

“Soon as we can get your stuff together.” Will says between bites of egg.

Nursey plays with his now empty glass, eyes focused on it rather than Will. “I still think this is unnecessary.”

Of course he does. “Too bad.”

They go back to silence until Will finishes his eggs, and Nursey pushes himself up with a groan.

“Do you…. Do you need painkillers, or anything?” He asks, standing and taking their plates to the sink, trying not to act too much like a mother hen but aware that he’s pretty much failing.

Nursey shakes his head. “Took some before I came down. They just haven’t kicked in yet.”

Will thinks of the two flights of stairs between Nursey’s bedroom and the kitchen, and doesn’t think about what it’s like to climb them when any step can hurt. “Are you really sure you should be walking up and down stairs?”

Nursey’s look of disgust is impressive. “I can manage some stairs. It’s not like I’m dying.”

Will can’t stop the flinch, and he finds himself staring fixedly at the floor. It’s stupid, he knows, but there was a whole chunk of time where he didn’t know what had happened, and maybe Nursey could have been…

“I’m fine. Really, Dex.” Nursey says, an apology in his voice.

Will can’t look at him, can’t see the evidence of hurt on his skin. “I’ll start getting you packed.” He mumbles, and escapes up the stairs.

He gets to Nursey’s room and rummages around in the closet until he finds a duffle bag, trying to shut off his brain, trying to ignore each harsh breath tearing out of him just a little too fast. He stuffs clothes inside mechanically, going dresser drawer by dresser drawer. He hesitates over the t-shirts, wondering if he should grab some button ups instead, on the theory they’ll be easier to get on and off. But Nursey’s also got his wrist in a brace, and buttons are hard to manage one handed, so… In the end he grabs some of both. The duffle bag is three-quarters full when he’s able to stop long enough to take a deep breath and remind himself that everything’s ok, including Nursey, and that he’s coming home with him where Will can keep an eye on him. Another moment, another deep breath, and he walks over the bedside table and finds himself smiling helplessly at the stack of books precariously balanced on one corner.

“Nursey!” He yells down the stairs. “Come tell me which of these twelve books you’re actually reading!”

He’s aware the answer is likely all of them. He runs a careful hand down the spines, and tries to let the last of his tension go.

***

They’ve only been on the road for two hours and already had three fights about the music choices and are about to start a fourth. Will keeps insisting that as the driver he gets to pick the music, which means they listen to Flogging Molly for thirty minutes, before Nursey groans and switches it to Bon Iver, which barely lasts ten before Will pointedly puts on Billy Joel, which Nursey grudgingly accepts for almost an hour until the album starts to repeat, so Will allowed him forty minutes of ATCQ before he couldn’t deal and started playing James Taylor.

“Dude, what is with you and all the old man music?” Derek asks, exasperated. 

“Don’t bash the classics, Nurse.” Will says as he hums along to ‘Copperline’. “And Flogging Molly’s not old.”

“Yes, but it is screaming Irishmen. What is with you and the screaming Irishmen?”

Will shrugs. “It keeps me awake while I’m coding. Also, it’s great. And well, the obvious.”

“The obvious?” Nursey asks, sounding confused.

He glances over, but Nursey seems to be genuine, not chirping. “Angry freckled ginger. We’re kindred spirits.”

Nursey laughs, which turns into a hiss of pain. Will immediately feels bad. “Sorry.”

“But really, Dex,” Nursey says, ignoring his apology, “James Taylor? He’s like… the oatmeal of music!”

“Oatmeal,” Will informs him solemnly. “Is hearty and good for you.”

“It’s bland to the point of horrible.” Nursey counters.

Will rolls his eyes. “Oatmeal is not horrible. And have you ever listened to a James Taylor song? Like, actually listened to the lyrics? There’s some deep stuff.”

“In James Taylor.” Nursey says flatly.

“Yes.” Will thinks for a moment. “Listen for thirty minutes, actually listen, and if you think he’s still bland I’ll listen to whatever you want for an hour.”

Nursey smiles, smug. “Deal.”

Will hides his own grin. He’s pretty sure he’s winning this bet, but even if he doesn’t he gets thirty minutes to listen to his music free of disagreement. He looks over to see Nursey staring into space, obviously not paying attention, and has to curb his initial instinct to poke him in the ribs. “It doesn’t count if you don’t listen.”

“I am!” Nursey exclaims, indignant and too fast. Will rolls his eyes, but Nursey does start paying attention after that.

Will keeps sneaking glances out of the corner of his eye in between humming along quietly to the music, and catches the moment Nursey’s face goes hilariously offended as he realizes Will is right. It takes another few songs for him to grudgingly admit it. 

“Told you.” Will says, turning up the music and starting to actually sing along. Nursey gingerly crosses his arms and stares out the window, pretending to be annoyed, but Will can see the small smile he’s trying to hide.

“Thought you didn’t sing for other people.”

Will snorts. “I don’t. This doesn’t count.”

He’s loud enough that he almost misses Nursey’s quiet “I like it.”

***

They make it back to the house right before dinner. Will climbs out of the car and stretches, stiff and aching from too many hours in the car. Nursey, when he looks over, is limping but trying not to show it. He buries the surge of guilt, for dragging Nursey across the coast when he really should be at home, and pulls the duffle out of his trunk. They walk into the house together, and his mom immediately descends.

“Ribs!” Will yelps when she goes in to give Nursey a hug. She gives him a look and wraps her arms carefully around Nursey anyway. 

Nursey seems to enjoy it, the fake, easygoing smile he’s been wearing since they pulled up to the house fading into something more natural as he puts an arm around her in turn.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Nursey.” She says, taking in the bruises and half-healed cuts, the brace on one wrist and the stiff way Nursey’s holding himself. His mom’s always been sharp. “Dinner’s nearly ready, I’m sure you boys are hungry.”

“Thanks for having me, Mrs. Poindexter.” Nursey says.

“Call me Anna.” She takes Nursey’s arm – gentle, but it means she’s in a place to help him if he stumbles – and leads him to the kitchen, chattering the whole way. Will grins.

***

Nursey is obviously drooping by the time dinner ends. Will gets it. He spent most of the meal being subtly interrogated by Will’s dad and alternately listening to and being bombarded by his two younger sisters. His mom gives Will a look, as if he’s somehow blind to the way Nursey is falling asleep at the table, and tilts her head towards the stairs. Will refrains from rolling his eyes. He’s glad his mom has taken to Nursey so whole-heartedly, he really is, but she doesn’t have to act like he’s oblivious. 

“Hey, Nursey, why don’t I show you the rest of the house?” He suggests when Gracie finally finishes her story about the weird thing she and her friend saw at the beach.

Nursey blinks at him, refocusing. “Chill, man. Let’s do it.”

He stands, slowly, carefully, and Will turns his automatic rush to his side into something more controlled, casual. They go up the stairs, Will a step behind, his hand hovering over Nursey’s back, just in case. He leads him straight to his room, and sits him down on what used to be David’s bed, before kneeling down and starting to untie Nursey’s tennis shoes.

“What are you doing?” Nursey asks, slightly slurred.

“Taking off your shoes.” Will tells him, easing the first one off his foot.

Nursey thinks about that for a second. “Why?”

Will glances up at him. “Because you’re exhausted, and hurting, and probably can’t bend over right now.”

“I could do it. If I needed to. I could just toe them off.”

Will feels something tighten in his chest at the matter-of-factness in Nursey’s voice. “Yeah, but right now, you don’t need to. I got this, ok?”

“Ok.” Nursey interrupts himself with a yawn. “Thanks, Dex.” 

“Yeah, time for bed.” Will mutters as he stands and lines up the shoes next to the door. “Do you want pajamas or are you sleeping in boxers and a t-shirt?”

“We’re going to sleep?” Nursey asks, staring at Will in confusion. 

Will gives him an unimpressed look. “No, you’re going to sleep. I’m putting you in bed and then going back downstairs to help with the dishes.”

“Oh.” Nursey shifts, winces. “I’m not that tired, I could help, if you needed.”

Now it’s Will’s turn to stare at him in confusion. “Dude, I barely trust you with dishes when you’re awake, much less now.”

“I just…” Nursey trails off. Will raises an eyebrow at him. “I just don’t want to impose, you know?”

“Nursey…” Will starts helplessly, not sure how to deal with that statement, with the anxious note in Nursey’s voice. “You’re – you’re not a fucking – imposition. You’re hurt, we’re supposed to take care of you.”

“But I’m fine, Dex, really.” At Will’s glare, his voice softens. “I can take care of myself, you don’t have to.”

“Yeah, well, I want to, so too bad.” Will says, arms crossed over his chest, his voice stiff and angry.

Nursey looks at him, takes in the belligerent way he’s standing, and Will feels himself blush, tries to relax. It’s another moment before Nursey tells him, looking down, “You know I’m not good at asking for help when I can get by without it.”

Will feels the exhaustion hit him, lets his arms drop, runs a hand over his face. “I would really appreciate it if you could learn.”

Nursey laughs like he’s said something funny, and Will can’t decide if he wants to shake him or wrap him up in his arms and keep him safe until he actually learns to take care of himself. He settles for pulling a pair of pajama pants out of Nursey’s duffle, and throwing them next to him. “Bathroom’s the next door down the hall. I’ll go get you some water so you can take your meds.”

He goes out to the garage, and leans against the old fridge he helped his uncle fix up, just giving himself a moment, before pulling out a bottle of water and heading back up to his room. Nursey’s swapped his jeans out for the pajama pants and is fumbling with a pill bottle. Will hands him the bottle of water and takes the bottle of pills in exchange. He keeps his eyes on their hands, not wanting Nursey to see his face, not sure he wants to see Nursey’s. He feels raw in a way he rarely allows himself, too used to keeping it together at all costs. But Nursey’s always been able to get under his skin. What’s new is the way it feels like he’s unconsciously peeling it off, exposing something aching and helpless.

Nursey starts lowering himself into the bed. Will automatically checks his urge to help him, and then remembers he’s trying to show Nursey that he doesn’t have to do this on his own, and crosses to the bed and puts a bracing arm around his shoulders. Once he’s horizontal, Will finds himself pulling up the covers, tucking Nursey in just like he has his youngest sister. Nursey looks faintly amused by the whole process, but doesn’t try to stop him. It probably helps that he starts nodding off almost as soon as his head hits the pillow. Will manages, barely, to refrain from kissing him on the forehead. He leaves before he does something even more stupid, like kissing him on the lips.

“Night, Derek.” He whispers from the doorway, before pulling the door shut behind him.

He sighs, scrubs a hand over his face, and walks downstairs to rejoin his family. Sarah and Gracie have run off to – he listens – watch TV in the living room, but his mom and dad are still at the table. They both stare at him when he comes in, and his dad motions to an empty chair. He wonders if he could just walk past them, curl up on the couch with the girls, let whatever mindless show they’re watching wash over him. He sits down at the kitchen table instead, letting his head fall into his arms. His mom pats him on the shoulder.

“You did a good thing, bringing that boy up here.” She tells him.

He lets himself relax under her touch. Maybe this isn’t the interrogation he was expecting.

“It’s just…” She starts and he tenses right back up. “Are you two…involved?”

He picks his head up off the table and glares at her, something hot running under his skin. If she’s going to ask he’s going to make her say it. “What do you mean, involved?”

She hesitates, glances at his dad. “Dating, I guess.”

“Does it matter?” He asks, voice coming out harsher than he wants.

“No! Not like…” She looks helplessly to his dad, who takes over.

“William, you know we don’t mean it like that.” He says, voice chiding.

“Then what do you mean?” Will forces his hands to stay flat on the table, not clench into fists.

Another glance. He grits his teeth. “Well, we were just pretty sure that whole thing in high school was just a phase.”

Suddenly and completely, Will’s done. He’s driven over fifteen hours in the last two days, his best friend basically just told him that he doesn’t trust that people will help him if he needs it, and his parents will not get it.

“No, you wanted it to be just a phase,” He growls, furious, but aware of his sisters in the next room, that he can’t yell like he wants to, “And I let you believe that because it was a hell of a lot easier than the alternative, with you all worried and asking if I was sure, convinced that it would go away if you just ignored it long enough, that I obviously liked girls, as if that stopped me from liking boys too.”

The silence that falls is sharp, and tinged with hurt. He draws in a ragged breath and makes himself keep going. “No, Nursey and I are not dating, but there’s a pretty good chance that someday I’m going to walk in the front door with a boyfriend, and you better be ready to fucking deal with it.”

“Will –“ His mom starts. He stands up.

“No. I’m done with this. With the excuses, and the discussion, and everything else. Unless you’re planning on kicking me out –“ He ignores his mom’s noise of hurt at that, “- we’ve got nothing more to talk about.”

He turns around and stomps out, leaving his parents and their white faces behind, and heads to the living room, where he sinks down on the couch and pulls Gracie into his side. She’s too old to really want to cuddle, but she must see something in his face, because she just leans her head against his shoulder and stays. Sarah plops her feet in his lap, and he puts his free hand on her ankle. He closes his eyes, swallows against the thickness in his throat, and lets the exhaustion take over, trying to soak up the feeling of comfort his sisters still provide.

***

He doesn’t let himself think all through work the next day, his muscles taking over, hauling the traps from the depths, checking, rebaiting, throwing them back, as mindless a physical task as he could hope for. His uncle jokes with the first mate, with him, and he dredges up grins in response, hoping that they’ll put down any weirdness to him being tired. He’d snuck past his parents to go upstairs and crawl into bed and then left the house before anyone else was awake, so he’s been able to avoid everything so far, but now he’s sitting in his driveway, and he needs to go inside. He thunks his head against the steering wheel, sighs, and opens the car door. He can do this, sit through dinner and not look at his parents once, focus on his sisters and Nursey, who he’s left alone all day. He winces, aware that probably should have left a note or something, and walks inside.

Nursey and Sarah are sitting at the kitchen table discussing books. Of course, Will thinks, I should have introduced that topic last night. 

“Dex!” Nursey crows when he notices Will’s come in. “You’re back!”

Sarah giggles. When Will glares at her she just smiles back, unrepentant. Brat.

Nursey’s still looking at him, waiting for a response, not at all mad that Will left him with strangers for the day. He knows the smile he gives him is far too soft for Sarah’s watchful eyes, but he can’t help it. “Yeah, I need to shower and then I’ll come right back down. Finish your conversation about whatever weird books you two read.” 

“But Will,” Sarah starts, voice far too innocent for the evil gleam in her eyes. “I was just about to tell Nursey all about your love of terrible sci-fi.”

“It’s not terrible!” Is the kneejerk response, and too late he notices Nursey’s small, gleeful grin. “No chirping.” He says, pointing at them. “Either of you. At least until I’m here to defend myself.”

He turns and hurries upstairs before either of them can get a word out or see his blush. He’s both glad and terrified that they seem to be bonding. It’s good because he loves both of them – like a friend in Nursey’s case he sternly reminds himself – and he wants them to get along, but together he’s pretty sure they’re going to chirp him to death. And Sarah knows far too many of his embarrassing stories. He groans and decides he’d better shower fast.

When he gets back downstairs, still slightly damp but no longer smelling of saltwater, his mom’s in the kitchen. He doesn’t let himself freeze, pretending everything’s normal, but he can’t force himself to make eye contact. He’s walking towards the table where Sarah is trying to convince Nursey he needs to read some book – Will catches the phrase heist novel set in medieval Amsterdam – when his mom puts a hand on his shoulder. He shrugs her off. 

“Will…” She says, turning him around to face her.

“What?” He asks, eyes on the floor.

He hears her sigh, and lets her pull him into a tight, awkward hug.

“We’re sorry.” She whispers in his ear. “I’m sorry. We didn’t mean – we love you, no matter what, and whoever you bring home, we’ll do our best to love them too.”

He melts at that, even if he probably shouldn’t, lets his arms come up and hold her back. It’s not perfect, and he knows this won’t fix everything, that there will probably be more almost-fights, more awkward moments, that this doesn’t mean understanding, but for now, it’s enough, and he lets himself have it, lets himself rest in the sure knowledge that he is loved, and that they’re at least going to try.

When they break apart, his mom’s eyes are a little wet, and while Sarah and Nursey are still talking, Sarah eyes at least are focused on him, assessing. He sits down next to her, ignores the questioning look she gives him.

“Ok, hit me.” He says, resigned to being teased for the next eternity, even looking forward to the normality of it.

Nursey and Sarah exchange a glance, and if they’re already doing the silent communication thing he’s in worse trouble than he thought. Nursey speaks first. “So, sci-fi? I thought you only read textbooks and the news.”

“Not just any sci-fi.” Sarah interjects. “Bad sci-fi.”

“You think all sci-fi is bad. You don’t get an opinion.” Will mutters.

Sarah takes a deep breath, and the battle begins. Will’s right, with both Sarah and Nursey against him he loses terribly, but after pointing out that one of his favorite books is The Martian, the movie version of which Nursey secretly loves, he does convince him to read at least one sci-fi book of Will’s choice. Mostly, Nursey claims, because he finished his other book this morning and at this rate is going to run out before Will takes him back to New York.

***

Nursey corners him that night while they’re getting ready for bed.

“What was that, earlier, in the kitchen?” He asks as Will strips off his shirt.

“What was what?” He tries to deflect.

“With your mom. It looked like you were having some sort of moment.” 

Will sighs, debates how much of the truth he wants to give. “Nothing important.”

“Dude. Don’t bullshit. Sarah wanted to know too.” Nursey tells him as he struggles out of his own shirt.

Will knew that relationship would come back and bite him in the ass, he just wasn’t expecting it to happen this soon. “Really Nurse, it’s not….”

And that’s where the conversation abruptly derails, because Nursey’s shirtless, and looking at him, and normally the problem would just be a quick surge of lust he could shake off, but now all he can see is the angry red scar that cuts across Nursey’s belly, and the large, almost black, yellow-edged bruises that cover his chest. Nursey’s still looking at him, laid back and waiting for an answer, but Will can’t even remember the question, because what does it matter when Nursey’s flesh is puckered like that, when you can map out the trauma between his ribs.

“Dex? Dex, you ok? Dex?” Will hears through the roaring in his head. 

“Yeah,” He makes himself turn away, because he knew about this, he did, he just hadn’t realized… “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Dex…” Nursey’s voice is both a warning and plea, and Will can’t stand it.

“Fuck, Derek.” He stops, tries to get himself under control, tries to explain without yelling or freaking out. “I knew it was bad, but not this bad.”

Nursey looks confused, and then looks down at his chest. “Oh. It… kinda looks worse than it is?”

“It looks…” Will takes a deep breath. Don’t shout, don’t shout, he thinks. “It looks pretty fucking bad, Nurse.”

“I’m fine, Dex. Really. Chill.” Nursey shrugs. It makes the bruises on his ribs shift.

Will barely reins in the urge to scream. Nursey is obviously not fine. “You don’t get it, do you? You could have died, Derek! There was internal bleeding. You ended up with sixty-seven stitches. And if that girl hadn’t thought to call me, how long do you think it would have been before anyone even knew you’d been hurt? You could have been dead for hours before… And no one would have known… I wouldn’t have known…and I…”

He turns away, grips at his hair, tries to calm his ragged breathing. Nursey’s silent behind him, and he has to calm down, because this isn’t about him, he’s not the one who was hurt, and it’s unfair to put this on Nursey, who hasn’t done anything wrong. 

Will flinches when a hand touches his back, tentative at first. “Dex. Will. I’m here, I’m fine. I promise.”

“But you might not have been.” Will mutters, forcing himself to relax, to drop his hands.

Nursey’s palm slides around to his chest and suddenly there’s a warm body pressed against his back. It shouldn’t feel as familiar as it does. “But I am.”

“I know. I know.” He closes his eyes, puts his hand over Nursey’s, making sure to keep his grip gentle, not clutch like he wants to. “I’m sorry. I’m being stupid.”

“Will. You – ” Nursey stop there, uncertain, and leans more firmly against him.

They stay there for a breath, less, before Will drops his hand and steps away. It’s too much, it’s been days, weeks of too much, and he is so tired of feeling flayed to the bone. 

“I better go brush my teeth.” He mutters, and leaves without looking back.

In the bathroom mirror he looks the same as always, no reddened eyes or paler-than-normal face. He can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not, if it would be better if his turmoil was visible, if it wasn’t so easy for him to stuff everything back inside, counting down the seconds until he has to be fine again. He gives himself an extra moment, just to breathe and flex his hands against the counter, before going back to his room. 

Where he finds Nursey sitting on his bed. “Dude, what the fuck?

“Well…” Nursey’s got that insincere smile on, the one Will calls his “too-chill-for-you” grin, the one he hates more than anything else, “I thought you might like to sleep with me.”

Will stares at him. He is too fucking tired for this. “No.” He says flatly, and flops down on David’s bed, back to Nursey.

There’s a sort of vicious satisfaction in the ensuing silence. 

“I’m just trying to help.” Nursey says, and fuck, now he sounds hurt. 

Will grudgingly rolls over. “And that will help how, exactly?”

Nursey’s looking down at his wrist, the one with the brace, sitting cradled in his lap. He shrugs. “You’ll know I’m still here.”

And oh. Will gets it now, because yes, he’s been stopping himself from touching this whole time, from the moment he let go of Nursey at the hospital, and maybe it would help, would calm the part of him that hasn’t really stopped screaming since that phone call, that doesn’t want to let go of Nursey ever again. It terrifies him, that need to hold, because Nursey isn’t his, will probably never be his, and he’s doesn’t know if he’ll be able to let go if Nursey ends up back in his arms. But fuck does he want it.

So he tries to deflect. “You really want to try and share a twin bed?” 

“We’ve done it before.” Nursey points out. “We’ve done more athletic things than just sleeping before.”

That they have. Unbidden comes the memory of his hands sliding down Nursey’s sides, gripping his hips, his foot dangling off the bed as they surged into each other. “You’re hurt.”

Nursey looks up at him, and his smile is small but real. “So? You’re not going to hurt me any worse.”

“This is a bad idea.” And he’s still only a few seconds from saying yes. He’s almost positive it would be worth it.

“Come to bed, Will.” Nursey whispers, soft and devastating.

Will sucks in a breath, closes his eyes, and gives up fighting. Maybe this’ll break him. He doesn’t care anymore. He gets up, turns off the light, and carefully crawls into bed, leaving his back up against the wall. Nursey stretches out next to him, on his back again. Tentatively, he puts a hand out and lets it rest high on Nursey’s chest, where he can feel each breath as it’s taken. The bed’s small enough that his knees nudge the side of Nursey’s leg, and he has to adjust so his elbow isn’t under half of Nursey’s head. They’re not quite spooning, but there’s still something intimate about the way their bodies are arranged in the dark. Will closes his eyes and tries to will away the tension under his skin.

“Dex?”

“Yeah, Nursey?” Will murmurs into his shoulder.

“I… goodnight.”

“Night.”

***

Will wakes up the next morning with Nursey sprawled across his chest, Will’s arm encircling his ribs, his nose buried in Will’s collarbone. Before he’s awake enough to talk himself out of it, Will ducks his head and presses a light kiss to Derek’s sleep messy curls. He slips out of bed as gently as he can, turns off his alarm before it can ring, and gets dressed in the predawn light filtering through the blinds. He lets himself ghost a hand across Nursey’s back, and sneaks out of the room.

He’s halfway through a bowl of oatmeal when Sarah comes down, dressed for running. He raises an eyebrow, but knows better than to talk before she’s had at least half a mug of coffee. He takes a few more bites of oatmeal as she stirs in a drop of milk and starts gulping. 

“You aren’t usually up this early.” He says as she pours herself a second cup.

She shrugs and wanders over to sit down at the table with both hands wrapped around her mug. “Wanted to catch you before you left.”

“Ok?” Will says warily.

“Something’s up, and I want to know what it is.” He opens his mouth to deny it and Sarah cuts him off before even starts speaking. “And I don’t want any of that ‘it’s nothing’ or ‘you’re too young’ crap. Mom was considering making anadama bread, but we didn’t have molasses.”

Will suppresses a wince. Anadama bread’s one of his favorite things, but it’s generally only for special occasions. There’s no way he can brush this off as unimportant. “Just… had an argument with Mom and Dad.”

Sarah rolls her eyes. “This argument have anything to do with the way you look at Nursey?”

He chokes on his oatmeal. “I don’t know what you mean.”

She gives him an unimpressed look, one she stole from him. “Will. Seriously. It’s like you orbit each other. And I was there for Mom’s original freak out when you thought you might be gay.”

He looks down, stirs his oatmeal. He always forgets how perceptive Sarah is. “If you knew what was going on, why’d you have to come talk to me?”

“I didn’t know, I guessed. And…” She pauses, and he looks up. “It looked like things got smoothed over, but I’m on your side, ok? I like Nursey, he’s cool and offered to send me a bunch of books to scandalize my English teacher.”

“Of course he did.” Will says wearily, wondering if he can convince Nursey to give him veto power. Probably not. “Please try not to get kicked out of school.” 

She gives him a look. “They’re not going to kick me out, they’re just going to splutter a lot and it’s going to be wonderful.”

He squints at her. “You’re going to start some kind of underground library, aren’t you?”

“Of course.” She says, tossing her head.

He laughs at her smug expression. “Tell Nursey that, he’ll probably send you even more books.”

“Who do you think gave me the idea?” She says with a grin.

He’s struck, suddenly, with how much he loves his sister, how proud he is of her. “Good for you. And thanks. For being on my side.”

The look she gives him tells him he’s stupid if he thought she would do anything else. He finishes his oatmeal while she drinks more coffee. 

“So, you and Nursey. I want to know - What’s that word you use?” Her nose wrinkles. “Deets. I want to know the deets.” 

“There are no deets.” He scowls at her fake pout. “Really. We’re not like that. Together, or whatever.”

“Sure.” She says with exaggerated disbelief.

“It’s… complicated, ok?” He glances up at the clock and sighs. “And I’ve got to get to work.”

“That’s not actually an answer.” She tells him as he gets up and rinses out his bowl. Her sudden grin is worrying. “But that’s fine. Nursey likes answering questions.”

“No.” He says firmly as he passes her on the way out the door. “No interrogations. I mean it.”

She just laughs.

“And no meddling either!” He calls back over his shoulder. Not that he thinks she’ll actually listen. 

***

Nursey acts weird at dinner that night, his chill and charming act firmly in place. Will’s pretty sure no one else notices, but to him it’s obvious, and worrying. It used to drive him crazy when Nursey would do this, still does, honestly, but he gets it now, that this is Nursey’s version of a shield. He just can’t figure out what he needs to shield against tonight. He’d half expected this the first night he’d brought Nursey home, but this is his third night here, and as far as Will knows, nothing’s changed. Then Gracie convinces them to play Scattegories, which Nursey is obnoxiously good at, and Sarah’s outraged noise when he uses the word “boggart” makes Gracie giggle, and Will forgets to pull Nursey aside and ask. 

“Dude, your sisters are ‘swawesome.” Nursey tells him after the game, once Gracie’s been sent to bed and the two of them are sprawled on the couch, watching late night TV. 

“I know.” Will mutters, starting to drift off. Normally he’s not up this late during the summer.

“I mean, Sarah’s like a cooler version of you.”

Will doesn’t even have the energy to roll his eyes. “I should probably be offended by that, but it’s sort of true.”

Nursey starts laughing, but it’s cut off with a gasp. Will looks over at him. 

“Ribs.” He explains. “Hurts to laugh.”

Will, reassured, lets his eyes close. “Sucks.”

“Yeah.” Will’s nearly asleep by the time Nursey continues, his tone uncertain. “Will? Did – are your parents why you didn’t want to start anything with me?”

That wakes Will up. “What? Why would my parents have anything to do with it?”

Nursey fiddles with a strap on his brace. “I was talking to Sarah, about what was going on yesterday, ‘cause I thought it might be my fault, you know?” He smiles bitterly. “I guess it kind of was, but I was thinking they were annoyed you’d brought me up here, not – not that they didn’t like the thought of us dating.”

Will sits up and rubs a hand over his face. “Nurse. Yesterday had very little to do with you and a whole hell of a lot to do with the fact that my parents ignored what I told them three years ago.”

“Still, I didn’t – I mean –“ He stops. Will waits. “I just – I don’t understand how you can be so calm about this! I mean, your mom seemed super nice, but if she can’t even accept who you are - ”

“Wait.” Will says, putting up a hand. “Is that why you were so weird at dinner?”

Nursey stares at him. “That’s what you got out of that speech?”

“It’s fine now, Nursey. You don’t –“ He stops and thinks of how to say this. “You don’t have to pull out the righteous indignation shit on my behalf.”

“Dude, I don’t know exactly what happened, but Sarah said you seemed pretty messed up. So I’m allowed to be mad, ok?” He leans forward. “They hurt you.”

“And then they apologized, and we’re over it.” Nursey gives him a look. Will sighs. “I know it’s more complicated than that, but – They love me, and they’re trying. It’s just… going to take them a while to get it.”

“They’ve had three years.” Nursey hisses, crossing his arms.

Will shakes his head. “It wasn’t – I told them maybe, and when I dated a girl right after… well, it was easier, for them to sort of forget about it. And I – well, girls were easier for me too.”

The look Nursey gives him is pitying, and Will turns automatically defensive. “Hey, it’s not like your parents are perfect either.”

“What does that have to do with anything? You’re parents basically told they didn’t like the idea of you being gay!” 

“And your mom left you alone.” Will points out sharply.

Nursey has the audacity to roll his eyes. “That’s completely different. I was fine. She asked if she needed to stay, and I said no, because I was fine. The Tokyo deal was important.”

“And you’re not?” Will asks snidely.

Now it’s Nursey’s turn to get defensive. “She flew back, didn’t she? If I really need anything, she’d be there in a heartbeat.” 

“That’s not –“ Will takes in a breath, tries to calm down. He needs Nursey to understand why this bothers him so much. “If she hadn’t, there’s no way in hell I would have ever let you go back to that house, not for summers or holidays or anything else. It’s… I know she cares. That doesn’t mean – I know you told her it was fine, but that doesn’t mean it was.”

“I know they apologized, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.” Nursey says, low and fierce.

Will closes his eyes. Nursey’s right, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. It just doesn’t matter. It’s not like it changes anything. “Yeah, but there’s nothing I can do about that, so drop it, ok?” 

“Ok.” Nursey says after a moment, soft now. 

“I’m sorry.” Will says, finally. “I shouldn’t have said – It’s just – I don’t like that you end up alone so much. It’s not – right.”

Nursey shrugs. “It really isn’t a big deal. I’m used to it by now.”

Will aches. “You shouldn’t have to be. You get that, right? Literally, if you needed us, the entire team would show up on your doorstep.”

“You too, huh?” Nursey says, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Especially me. Dude, I’ve driven to New York twice this month. And you didn’t even have to ask.” And he’d do it again, if he had to, as many times as Nursey needs.

“Thanks for that, by the way.” Nursey says. “I – It’s been nice, being here.” 

Will nudges Nursey’s thigh with his foot in response. They sit there for a while, the buzz of the TV insufficient background noise. Will tries to relax back against the arm of the couch and finds himself shifting, unable to get comfortable.

“Listen,” Nursey says, hesitantly, once Will’s given up and stopped moving. “I know this is terrible timing, but – If I don’t get it out now, well – I just – would you want – I mean –“

Will gives him a look, takes in the way he’s picking at a rip in his jeans, a nervous tell he usually doesn’t allow himself. “Spit it out, Nurse.”

Nursey looks at him, opens his mouth, shuts it, and glances back down. His hand reaches over and takes Will’s, thumb deliberately stroking over the back of his hand.

“Nursey…” Will starts, something like panic rising in his throat.

“I want – Can we give this a try? I know –“ His breath hitches. “I know why we didn’t, before, but… god, Will, I want this, want you, and I’m tired of pretending we’re just friends, that nothing happened, that – please, can we…?”

Nursey’s eyes are pleading, and Will wants, goddammit, has been ignoring the ache for so long that it’s a part of him, a desperate, never-fulfilled need. He knows he shouldn’t say yes, should be the practical one, the rational one, just like always, but Nursey’s hand is wrapped around his and he almost died two weeks ago and…

“If it goes wrong –“ He forces out.

“It won’t.” Nursey promises, gripping his hand tighter. “And if it does, we can deal.”

“You want to put everything on the line like that?” Because it would be everything, Will knows, their lives too entwined for it to be otherwise.

“We already are.” Nursey’s voice drops lower. “Do you really think you’d be fine with me bringing a hook-up back to our room some night?”

Will stifles the immediate surge of anger even the idea brings, but Nursey notices and grins in satisfaction. “Exactly. We’re already in too deep, Will. And we can take it slow. Like, glacier-slow if you want, but… date me?”

Nursey smiles at him, an odd mix of his usual grin and something tremulous and uncertain, and Will decides, fuck it. He’s tired of fighting this. Maybe it won’t work out, and one of them will end up camped out in Chowder’s room for part of the year, but he doesn’t care anymore if it means he gets Derek right now. He lets himself touch, reaching over and running his free hand up the top of Nursey’s thigh, ignoring the stifled gasp. He inches closer and trails his fingers gently over ribs he knows are bruise-dark, sweeping inward over Nursey’s collarbone and around the back of his neck. He takes in Nursey’s wide eyes before he leans in and kisses him, a short brush of lips. He breaks away and presses their foreheads together.

“Tomorrow, we’re going to have a long discussion about ground rules and all that shit.” He whispers into the space between them. “But tonight, we’re going upstairs, and you’re going to let me kiss every new scar, and then I’m going to hold you while we fall asleep. That ok?”

“Yes.” Nursey squeaks, and tilts his head into another kiss. It’s gentle, almost tentative, nothing like the bruising clash of last spring, and Will sinks into it, his fingers tightening even as Nursey pulls away. “Bed.”

Will nods, and helps Nursey up off the couch. He nearly lets go of his hand before he remembers that he’s allowed now, that he can hold on. They hurry up the stairs.

It doesn’t take them long to get ready for bed, despite the fact that each of them reaches out to run a hand along a shoulder, or back, or waist, whenever the other is in range, each touch something grounding. Will finishes first, and finds himself splayed out across his bed, watching Nursey rummage for a t-shirt, finally allowed to openly stare. 

“You won’t need that.” Will tells him. “I mean, unless you want it. We could just go right to sleep.”

Nursey’s affronted glare is adorable, and Will revels in the fact that he can think that and not feel guilty or push the thought away. “You told me there would be kissing.”

Will smiles. “Come here, then.”

Nursey walks over to the bed. Will stands and reaches for his shirt buttons. The sight of all those bruises still makes him want to scream, but now he can run gentle fingers over each one as it’s revealed, do his best to kiss the hurt away. It quiets something inside him, this slow exploration, a reminder that Nursey survived, that this is real. Nursey’s quiet, and by the time Will gets his shirt unbuttoned, kissing every inch of the ragged scar right above Nursey’s bellybutton, he’s trembling, his good hand braced on Will’s shoulder. Will pulls the shirt completely off and guides Nursey down to the bed, careful of his ribs, and wraps his arms around him, finally letting their lips meet. Nursey goes boneless, and they stay there, kissing softly, until Nursey breaks away to bury his face in Will’s shoulder.

“Shh, I got you.” Will murmurs, stroking a hand down Nursey’s back. “Go to sleep, Derek.”

He snuggles closer and does, while Will holds on and listens to him breathe.

**Author's Note:**

> Minor abandonment issues (Nursey's mom leaves - he's fine with it, Will's not.)  
> Minor homophobia (Will's parents aren't great about the possibility he might be dating Nursey - they get over it.)  
> Mention of injuries, non-graphic.


End file.
